World Cup qualifying predictions, betting odds and tips: Finns can get off to a flying start

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Friday's World Cup qualifying predictions

Finland have never taken part in a World Cup finals but they have aspirations to push for a place at next summer's expanded 48-team tournament and can start on the right track by winning away in Malta.

Qualification is unlikely to be straightforward for the Finns, who are joined in Group G by Poland, Lithuania, Malta and the losers of the Nations League quarter-final between Spain and the Netherlands.

Finland finished rock-bottom of Nations League Group B2 with six straight defeats and their poor performances prompted a change in the dugout with Markku Kanerva stepping aside after an eight-year stint and Danish head coach Jacob Friis picking up the reins.

Friis would love to instil some confidence into a group which has developed a losing habit and has a great chance to do just that by steering them to success over one of Europe's minnows.

Malta accumulated seven points from four matches in Nations League Group D2 but still lost out to Moldova in the battle for promotion.

World Cup qualifying brings the challenge of tougher opposition and it is hard to imagine anything other than a string of defeats for Emilio De Leo's side, who are seeded fifth and look like the weakest side in the section.

The Maltese shipped 30 goals in ten matches during their failed bid to reach Qatar 2022 and are likely to be brushed aside by the Finns, who can pick up three points and an early boost to their goal difference.

Ecuador have gone five games unbeaten in South American World Cup qualifying and they can take another step towards the finals by defeating Venezuela in Quito.

La Tri have lost only two of 12 qualifiers and moved up to third place after a superb 1-0 victory in Colombia last November.

Ecuador have kept clean sheets in five of their six home qualifiers and they can register another shutout against Venezuela, who are third from bottom and have not won an away qualifier in their last 15 attempts.

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